Somatic Experiencing

Somatic experiencing therapy is a type of alternative therapy geared towards helping people find healing from trauma.
Created by Peter Levine, PhD, this therapy works on the principle that trauma gets trapped in the body, leading to some of the symptoms people with PTSD or people who have experienced trauma might experience. Through this method, practitioners work on releasing this stress from the body.

Many people who have experienced trauma, especially those who have experienced physical trauma such as domestic violence or sexual assault, can dissociate or disconnect from their bodies.
Somatic experiencing helps them have an increased sense of awareness of their internal experience (interoceptive, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic sensations).

Techniques

Somatic experiencing practitioners use a framework known as SIBAM (Sensation, Imagery, Behavior, Affect, and Meaning) to help clients incorporate their bodies in processing trauma.

Typically, most therapy uses our cognitive skills to access our memories or traumas via top-down methods. However, somatic experiencing uses a bottom-up approach, which starts with bodily sensations before returning to our thoughts.

Sensation: You may not be used to sitting with the sensations that are constantly coursing through your body, or you may not have previously realized how they were linked with your emotions. You will begin with simply noting what you are feeling in your body.
Imagery: This part of the framework uses guided imagery (where the practitioner leads you through imagining a scene while you listen) or interactive guided imagery. The latter is an ongoing conversation between you and the practitioner where you share what’s coming up as you are being led through this exercise.  
Behavior: While much of this therapy consists of you reporting your internal experiences, the behavior part of Levine’s model involves the therapist observing your behavioral responses, such as your body language or posture.
Affect: This is how you display your emotions to the outside world, such as through your word choices, tone, and speed.
Meaning: Finally, this part of the model looks at how you perceive the therapy and what your experiences mean to you.

Somatic Experiencing Can help with

Somatic experiencing therapy may be helpful with aspects of:
Trauma
Anxiety
Grief
Substance use disorders
PTSD
Chronic Pain
Early Childhood Attachment Trauma